Achieving a Lean Physique: 5 Essential Habits for Fat Loss
Written on
Back in 2018, I found myself classified as “skinny fat.” Although I was slim, my body composition was not what I desired; I had more fat and less muscle than I wished for, which hindered my athletic appearance.
That year marked a turning point for me after undergoing gallbladder surgery. My doctor emphasized a crucial point: “Being thin doesn’t equate to being healthy.” She urged me to reflect on my lifestyle habits, which contributed to my gallbladder issues. I led a sedentary life, consumed mainly ultra-processed foods, and hadn’t engaged in any strength training since my school days.
Though I had a family history of gallbladder problems—my grandfather lost his at 65—I was only 25 and needed to make significant changes. This served as the catalyst for transforming my lifestyle and physique.
Fast forward to today, I’ve successfully achieved the lean, athletic body I aimed for. More importantly, I accomplished this by adopting sustainable habits that have enhanced my overall health.
Interestingly, even though my weight remains the same as in 2018, my muscle-to-fat ratio has dramatically improved through a process known as body recomposition, which involves gaining muscle while simultaneously losing fat. This shift has boosted my metabolism, enabling me to consume an extra 500 calories each day while maintaining my leanest state ever.
However, there are two crucial points to consider:
- Other practices, like intermittent fasting or calorie cycling, can aid in body recomposition, but the five habits below represent the 20% that yield 80% of the results. They are the foundational habits for sustainable fat loss.
- While my body fat percentage is at its lowest, I've always been naturally slim. This allows me to sustain a low fat percentage without adverse health effects. For example, my menstrual cycle has remained regular, a contrast to what many experience when dropping below 20% body fat (I am currently at 16-18%). Always consult with a healthcare provider before attempting significant fat loss.
With that clarified, here are the five fundamental habits that supported my journey to a lower body fat percentage:
# Habit 1: Prioritize Building Over Losing
When setting fitness goals, many focus solely on weight loss. This is a common pitfall. Unless your scale measures muscle and fat percentages, obsessing over weight fluctuations can be counterproductive. Weight loss often leads to a decrease in both fat and muscle, which reduces metabolism since muscle burns more calories than fat, leading to eventual weight regain primarily as fat.
This cycle contributed to my “skinny fat” appearance in 2018. After gaining weight in previous years, I attempted to cut calories, which resulted in a familiar pattern: I lost weight (both muscle and fat) but regained primarily fat.
My perspective shifted after I learned about body recomposition. After my surgery, I redirected my focus from losing weight to building muscle. I began resistance training, and despite early mistakes—like inconsistency and frequent changes in my workout plan—once I found my rhythm, the results were remarkable.
Building muscle has enabled me to maintain a healthy weight, even with a lower fat percentage. It has strengthened my physique and improved my overall health. Consistent and progressively challenging resistance training is the first essential habit for achieving a leaner body.
How to Start:
If you’re new to resistance training, aim for 2-3 full-body sessions that emphasize compound movements such as:
- Squats
- Deadlifts
- Chest Press
- Bent Over Row
- Overhead Press
- Farmer Carry
- Reverse Lunge Step Up
For each exercise, perform three sets of 8-12 repetitions. Choose weights that make the last rep take about 3-5 seconds to complete. Increase the number of reps or weight every week or two, and with proper nutrition, noticeable changes can occur in about 12 weeks.
# Habit 2: Incorporate Gentle Cardio
When attempting to lose fat, many jump straight into high-intensity cardio. Running, cycling, and HIIT become the go-to activities. While these can contribute to fat loss, this approach has its drawbacks:
- Engaging in intense cardio can limit your resistance training due to time constraints, where muscle building should be the priority.
- Even if you manage to include both resistance training and cardio, excessive intensity can hinder muscle growth, especially when in a calorie deficit, as muscles require rest and energy to recover.
- High-intensity workouts can increase cortisol levels, leading to heightened hunger, creating a counterproductive cycle.
Instead, it’s more effective to incorporate light physical activities throughout your day, such as walking and fidgeting. Personally, I aim for a minimum of 10,000 steps daily and utilize calf raises during work meetings.
These straightforward habits have elevated my metabolism, allowing me to consume more calories while still achieving a calorie deficit for fat loss.
How to Start:
- Use a pedometer to track your average daily steps and aim to increase that total by 2,000. Alternatively, commit to a 30-60 minute daily walk.
- Walk for 10 minutes after each meal, ensuring at least 30 minutes of walking daily while assisting in blood sugar management.
- Look for opportunities to walk throughout your day. Instead of sending emails, walk to your colleague’s desk. Choose walking meetings or phone calls.
- During idle times like meetings or waiting rooms, engage in calf raises or leg shakes.
# Habit 3: Prioritize Quality Sleep
Sleep is crucial for body recomposition for two primary reasons:
- Muscle growth occurs during rest and recovery.
- Inadequate sleep can disrupt cortisol levels, leading to fat retention, especially around the abdomen.
In short, prioritizing sleep is vital for achieving body recomposition.
How to Start:
- Establish a consistent sleep schedule, aiming for 7-9 hours of sleep each night.
- Take morning walks; exposure to sunlight early in the day can enhance sleep quality.
- Avoid blue light from devices before bed by disconnecting at least an hour prior to sleep.
- Darken your sleeping environment and keep the room cool, ideally around 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18.3 degrees Celsius).
- Have dinner at least three hours before bedtime and limit liquid intake before bed to minimize nighttime bathroom trips.
- Consider avoiding alcohol altogether, as it can disrupt deep sleep, or refrain from drinking several hours before bedtime.
- Cut out caffeinated beverages 5-8 hours before sleep.
If you continue to have sleep difficulties, explore additional science-backed tips or consult a specialist.
# Habit 4: Increase Your Caloric Intake
While a calorie deficit is necessary for fat loss, many mistakenly believe that larger deficits yield quicker results. I learned this lesson the hard way after several months of resistance training without seeing gains in muscle mass. My energy levels plummeted, and my strength declined.
The core issue was that I had not adjusted my eating habits alongside my training. I was in an excessive calorie deficit, leading my body to consume the muscle I had just built.
While those with higher body fat percentages can sometimes still gain muscle even in a steep calorie deficit, I was already lean, and my body began to break down muscle for energy. This led to intense cravings and sleepless nights.
After consulting a fitness trainer and registered dietitian, I discovered I wasn’t eating enough. Adequate nutrition is essential to support training and body recomposition. Once I increased my caloric intake, progress resumed. Eating more has been instrumental in my ability to gain muscle while losing fat.
How to Start:
For a numerical approach, utilize a calorie-counting app to track your intake for at least a month without changing your eating habits. Once you determine your maintenance calories, adjust your daily intake based on your activity level:
- If you’re actively resistance training and walking, maintain your current intake unless you feel weak, in which case gradually increase it until you identify your new maintenance calories, then reduce that number by 10%.
- If you’ve only added resistance training without increasing your daily steps, consider reducing your maintenance calories by 10-20%.
Alternatively, for a non-numerical approach, adjust your intake based on your activity level:
- If you are incorporating regular resistance training with increased walking, maintain or gradually increase your portions if necessary.
- If you’ve only added resistance training, make small adjustments to your meals, such as substituting high-calorie condiments for lower-calorie options.
Important Note: If you’ve been dieting for an extended period, your maintenance calories might be too low. In that case, consider a reverse diet to gradually increase your intake.
# Habit 5: Focus on Nutritional Quality, Not Just Quantity
In my early attempts to create a calorie deficit, I mistakenly cut back on nutritious whole foods while keeping sugary snacks. While I lost weight, the results were unhealthy; I felt weak and looked emaciated. Most of the weight lost was muscle, leading to various health issues.
It wasn't until my gallbladder surgery that I realized the importance of food quality. Eliminating ultra-processed foods and emphasizing lean proteins, fiber-rich fruits, and healthy fats transformed my health and physique.
While a calorie is technically a calorie, the source and quality of those calories matter significantly.
How to Start:
- Aim for 85% of your meals to be nutrient-dense (half vegetables, one-quarter protein, one-quarter complex carbohydrates, and a sprinkle of healthy fats). The remaining 15% can be more flexible.
- Prioritize protein intake. Research indicates that consuming 1.6-2.2 g of protein per kg of body weight is vital for preserving muscle mass while in a calorie deficit.
- Spread protein consumption throughout the day, aiming for smaller amounts at each meal rather than one large intake.
- Support gut health by including a variety of fermented foods in your diet and aiming for a diverse intake of vegetables, nuts, seeds, and fruits each week.
# The Key Takeaway: Define Your Minimum
Transforming our bodies doesn’t have to be complicated. By engaging in resistance training, increasing movement, eating nutritious foods, and prioritizing sleep, we can gain muscle and shed fat, improving our strength and health.
So why do many of us struggle to achieve these goals? The answer is often inconsistency. We may start with enthusiasm, but life’s challenges can disrupt our commitment.
The critical insight is to define what you can realistically maintain, even in tough times. For me, that meant committing to at least one resistance training session per week and walking 10 minutes after each meal.
By establishing a clear minimum, I’ve maintained consistency over the long term. While perfect weeks with optimal training and nutrition would yield faster results, it’s more beneficial to have several “imperfect” weeks than to have one perfect week followed by several weeks of inactivity.
It’s better to gradually implement these five fundamental habits than to abandon them entirely.